Advances in Space Robots

Abstract

Space robots are a type of specialized robots that assist and replace humans in conducting scientific experiments, external vehicular activities, space exploration, and other activities in space. Space robots are gradually changing traditional modes of space transportation, on-orbit construction, on-orbit maintenance, and planetary exploration. It is one of the important enabling means for future unmanned and manned space missions. The development of space robots presents the design, fabrication, and control challenges, as such devices will operate in space where the environment differs greatly from Earth. The field of space robots calls for collaborative efforts between physicists, chemists, biologists, computer scientists, engineers, and other specialists to work towards this common objective. This special issue intends to gather advanced research focusing on all domains linked to space robots, including the challenges we have overcome to address the particularity of the space environment and the achievements of space robots. After rounds of review and revision, articles in the following topics have been selected to compile this special issue: